Won't you believe me? (Servant no more - book 2)

Chapter 47

Lan Xichen was secretly smiling to himself as he slowly walked back to Wei Wuxian's room behind the boy and Lan Wangji who were a few steps in front of him, side by side with each other. They both looked like they were doing so much better than until now and Lan Xichen could almost not believe it. He was asking himself what magic Lan Wangji had used to make the boy so at ease around him.

Not only had been Wei Wuxian smiling and looking directly, albeit still very carefully and while concealing his acts, at Lan Wangji but he had been also smiling a lot today. First at breakfast, then while playing with rabbits and also just now. Even though some of them were nothing more than shadows of smiles and Lan Xichen could have been just imagining them, some of them were definitely genuine.

Wei Wuxian seemed to be changing by the hour. Every time Lan Xichen saw him, he would be more and more relaxed. That only applied when he was with Lan Wangji though. Even with Lan Xichen, the boy still seemed to retain some of the distance and distrust. The young master of the Cloud Recesses Manor wondered why that was. Usually the servants he rescued would quickly warm up to him and avoid or outright fear his little brother for quite a while. This time however, things looked to go in the opposite order.

Not that Lan Xichen was complaining, he was actually happy for both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. He only marvelled at the fact that his little brother was coming out of his shell like this and that Wei Wuxian was following his example. The best thing for both of them right now would be to stay by each other's side. Which, Lan Xichen was more than sure, Lan Wangji was already determined to do.

He felt at ease now. Seeing the boys interact had chased away all his fears of leaving Wei Wuxian all alone in an unfamiliar place while he would be carrying out the investigation in the Lotus Pier Manor. Sure, the Cloud Recesses Manor would still be new to the boy but with a determined Lan Wangji by his side, Lan Xichen was sure everything would play out just fine. In fact, he mused, he could come back to find a completely changed Wei Wuxian.

He smiled even wider, no longer bothering to hide it. He just noticed that both boys were walking side by side with perfectly matching steps, they were even using the same leg each time! They were also pretty close and Lan Xichen wondered if it was Lan Wangji being drawn to Wei Wuxian or the other way around. It looked almost too cute for his eyes.

He was still a little worried about the boy's fever though. They have asked him to walk around for way too long already. Lan Xichen would be only too satisfied when he would know that Wei Wuxian was laying in bed after drinking medicine and preferably sleeping. He could not imagine that the boy had had a peaceful night today. Not with the state his hands had been in.

Although, he should probably leave Wei Wuxian in Lan Wangji's capable hands. He had still much work to prepare before leaving for the Lotus Pier Manor. He could not delay his departure any longer or he could alert the Jiangs about his investigation. If that happened, he was afraid that they would try to cover all the clues and pretend Wei Wuxian was their beloved adopted son, like they had been doing for all those years while the boy had been suffering terribly. The sole thought of this possibility was making Lan Xichen feel on edge.

Although Wei Wuxian could see it differently given how he had been conditioned for years, Lan Xichen could not let what had happened to the boy go unpunished. It was one thing taking in a boy from the streets to be a normal servant in any manor, receiving all the respect and proper treatment they deserved. But it was something else entirely lying to the whole world for years and using one's adopted son like a tool, even forcing him into slavery, from a very young age too. It was inhuman and against the law, he wanted the Jiangs to be exposed and punished for their misdeeds.

Once they arrived in front of Wei Wuxian's room, Lan Xichen stopped in the hallway and did not enter. Lan Wangji could handle everything from here, Lan Xichen believed that who the boy needed right now was not him anyway. Lan Xichen would do his best to support him of course, but ultimately, Wei Wuxian believed Lan Wangji more.

When his little brother turned to him, Lan Xichen smiled and told him as much: "Wangji, Young Master Wei, I will take my leave now. I need to leave on my job the first thing in the morning and I still have some things to prepare." He turned to his brother and continued, addressing him directly: "Wangji, I believe you can take care of things from now."

Lan Wangji nodded solemnly and Lan Xichen gave him a reassuring smile. He was sure that his brother could handle everything just fine. But at the same time, he was also aware that he was most probably nervous and still unsure how to approach the boy. Lan Xichen would have liked to give him some more reassurance, however, it did no longer feel necessary at the moment. Not when Wei Wuxian was already trusting him like this.

Then, Lan Xichen tuned to the boy. Wei Wuxian did not flinch when he spoke to him and the young master of the Cloud Recesses Manor was amazed by it. It was only this morning when the boy had been trembling like a leaf in front of him and now he was facing him this calmly. It was truly bordering a miracle how quickly his behaviour was changing. He must have by now believed, at least partially, what Lan Xichen had told him last evening.

However, it would not hurt to still repeat himself, the more time they reassured him, the faster he would become familiar with the concept: "Young Master Wei, I wish you a good rest. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask for it. You are welcome here and we are more than happy to help you. If you would like to, you can think of the Cloud Recesses Manor as of your new home. Please remember that you are not a servant here, things are different than before you came here. You should take care of yourself, nothing is more important than your health and well-being. If you have any concerns, you can always come find Wangji, our uncle or Miss Jiang."

Wei Wuxian remained where he stood, only his breath hitched a little bit. And then, when the boy was about to bow, which action Lan Xichen had expected, the young master of the Cloud Recesses Manor stopped him. He caught his hands before he could fully bow and he gently pushed them up, not allowing the boy to finish his motion.

At first, he had not been sure if he should be rushing this much. After all, he had seen Wei Wuxian yesterday in the library when the boy had been convinced that they were about to hit him. However, he had seen him since being comforted by Lan Wangji in this way so he thought that perhaps it could be alright. He knew he was testing his luck, but he still wanted to take this gamble. He believed that the boy was ready for this.

It seemed like Lan Wangji had worked greater magic than Lan Xichen had even imagined. The boy did not flinch away from his touch and followed his unsaid instruction. Even when Lan Xichen let go of his joined hands, he did not continue with the bow and straightened himself instead.

Lan Xichen's smile was so wide that he could not tell if it was not even spreading out from his face. This was such a tremendous progress that he actually wanted to somehow celebrate it. He held himself back though, he did not want to scare the boy now.

The only thing he did was to add, his voice even more indulgent and gentle than before: "Alright. I wish you a good rest Young Master Wei, please take care of yourself. I will ask for medicine and some light meal to be brought to your room."